Secret
by justanoutlaw
Summary: Regina has two children, but for 48 years, one has been a secret.


**Prompted by queen-of-the-merry-men: "I couldn't give you what you needed so I found people who could." Any verse or ship.**

**Trigger warning: Mentions of abuse.**

_She has a secret that she can never tell_

_One wrong decision still puts her heart through hell_

_Does he miss her does he forgive her_

_The love that they shared will always be a secret-Reba McEntire_

Regina found out she was pregnant 2 days after she married Leopold. At first she felt joy, a piece of Daniel would live on, even if no one else could know. In a way, it was much like the love they had shared. Secret, special…magical.

Then she felt horror. How could she raise a child with this man? She saw just how obsessive Leopold was over Snow and it creeped her out. She protected the young girl as much as she could, but how could she bring another child into such a situation? She had been raised by an abusive mother and a father who was unable to stop it. She couldn't let her own child lead a similar life.

She hid the pregnancy for as long as possible and right before she would start showing, she convinced Leopold that she should supervises the construction on their summer palace. She hid away in the faraway village, convincing her handmaiden, Esther, to keep it a secret.

For four long months, she was free. She sang to her stomach and talked to it. She was able to decorate the palace how she wanted and ate the most fattening foods without judgement. She dreamed of a life where she could keep her child, raise it the way that she wanted. However, all dreams must come to an end and hers came to a crashing halt when her water broke.

Regina delivered a tiny but healthy baby girl that she named Amara. She held her and cuddled her, falling deeply in love. Yet, she knew that she loved her enough to let her go. So, she cherished the time they did have, which was 3 days. The construction was done and Leopold sent word that he expected Regina home in time for the next ball.

Esther had found a sweet, well to do family that couldn't have any children of their own. While she brought Amara to them, Regina headed back towards the palace. It was there that she was abused and neglected, where she was forced to play mommy to a child that she loved but resented. For a while, the love that she held for her baby girl was enough to get her through, until it just wasn't. The darkness overcame her heart and nearly two decades later, she was casting the curse.

She thought that knowing that Snow was separated from her child would help, but it only made Regina feel worse. She was still alone, and while Snow had no clue Emma existed under the curse, Regina now had a front row seat to Amara. She was 18, beautiful. She had Regina's coloring, but Daniel's big blue eyes and gentle smile. She was a happy, active teenager, she just wanted to help others. Regina had made sure that she would stay with her adoptive parents under the curse, that they were some of the few that wouldn't be truly miserable.

Henry wasn't a replacement, she never once felt like a first time mother. She just knew she was ready to parent and wanted to have the opportunity to raise a child. It didn't make it any easier when he pulled away from her to bond with Emma and attempt to break the curse. She did what she could to stop it, selfishly not wanting to lose everything she had built. Yet, it was all in vain.

Things got better, Henry came back to her. She became a part of the Charming's family. She was finally happy, she had gotten everything she ever wanted.

One afternoon, she was tending to her apple tree when she heard footsteps approaching behind her. She turned around to find Amara standing there. It had been 2 years since the curse had broken, but she hadn't gone to her. She didn't know what her parents had told her and even if she knew the truth, she was unsure if she'd want to get to know The Evil Queen.

"You're Regina, right?" Amara asked.

She nodded. "You're Amara."

"You know me?"

Regina softly smiled. "I'd know my own child anywhere."

"I was recently reading Henry's book…I always knew I was adopted, but I saw my name and I wondered…"

"You are my child," she confirmed.

Amara stood there for a moment, drinking it all in. "Why did you give me away?"

It was a fair question, but it stung like a knife. "I couldn't give you what you needed so I found people who could."

"You were a queen,"

Regina sighed and gestured for Amara to join her on the bench. "You read the book, yes? You know that your father was Daniel Colter, my stable hand?" Amara nodded. "I was forced to marry King Leopold. He was an awful man, he…he hurt me in many ways. He didn't care that I didn't love him and he honestly didn't love me. I grew up in a household with an abusive parent, I didn't want the same for you." She pushed a strand of the young girl's dark hair behind her ear. "I knew you deserved more than me." A single tear fell down Regina's face. "But I wished it could be different…more than anything I did."

Amara gnawed on her bottom lip. "I guess I understand."

"You have to know I love you, more than anything. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but it was for you."

"You didn't come for me when the curse broke."

"I didn't want to disrupt your life, I also didn't know if you'd want to see me. You seemed to have such a happy life. You were happy, weren't you."

"Yeah." A tiny smile, Daniel's smile, fell across her lips. "I did. I am."

"Then there you go. I wasn't going to take that away from you."

"Do you…do you think we could see each other now?" Amara asked. "I love my parents, but it'd be nice to know where I came from."

"Of course." Regina took her hand. "You have a little brother, as I'm sure you know. He'll be so excited to meet you." She kissed Amara's forehead. "You have your father's eyes, you know."

"I do?" Amara smiled wider.

"Yes, and you have his smile." She touched her chin. "My God, you're so beautiful."

The two sat there talking for what seemed like hours. Regina knew that their relationship would be a complicated one, but she didn't mind. All that mattered was that she had that piece of Daniel back in her life.


End file.
